


Just Rewards

by Slaskia



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Loyalty, Power Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 23:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13646514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slaskia/pseuds/Slaskia
Summary: Someone from Skywarp's past has a very tempting offer for Megatron.  Will Megatron take it or does the warlord still have some spark in his frame?





	Just Rewards

**Author's Note:**

> First part technically takes place before the one-shot 'Desperation', the rest follows after.

_Era: Great War_

Trypticon Station 

The voice on the other end of the comm was oily, the kind of oily that told him ‘do not trust’.  Still, Megatron opted to at least listen to what the speaker had to say.  After all, anything that made life more difficult for the Autobots was a _good_ thing. 

“My Communications Officer informed me you have something to offer me?” the warlord asked, his hands clasped behind his back as he faced the communications console. 

//I do, Lord Megatron.\\\ the speaker responded.  Megatron smirked.  At least the slimy sounding creep knew how to address him.  //I have access to something that would be very useful for your campaign.\\\ 

That sounded like he was either a blackmarket dealer or a rather corrupt individual in the Autobot leadership chain.  The latter having more potential than the former in terms of usefulness.  “Oh really?” Megatron countered.  “I am certain you know I have a very competent Communications and Intelligence officer.”  He let the statement hang, the meaning obvious. 

//Oh I am quite certain Soundwave is good at what he does,\\\ the bot responded.  //However, I know he has yet to obtain Autobot decryption software.\\\ 

Megatron’s optics widened and he found himself leaning toward the console.  Such a thing would allow him to all but crush the Autobots.  Beside himself, he saw Soundwave twitch in a rare display of shock.  This offer really narrowed down the list of possibilities on who this bot was.  Black market was still a possibility, but he was leaning toward Special Operations or Intelligence.  “I’m interested,” he responded.  “However, such a high value item must have a high price.” 

//Oh my price is _quite_ reasonable,\\\ came the response.  Megatron didn’t miss the slight purr in his voice.  //All I want in return is the seeker Skywarp.\\\ 

Soundwave had jerked back in shock.  Megatron himself was a bit surprised.  That was all?  “Just one of my seekers?” he asked.  “I could give you so much more with what you have to offer.” 

//He is not just ‘one of your seekers’,\\\ the bot replied, tone a little heated.  //He is my betrothed…one in strong denial, but my betrothed none-the-less.\\\ 

Something about that made his protoform _crawl_ with revulsion.  Beside him, Soundwave seemed to be feeling the same.  As tempting as this offer was, there was _something_ about it that just felt _wrong_.  That and Skywarp was actually useful to him due to his abilities, he just needed proper _motivation_.  The biggest problem with Skywarp though, was that his loyalty was to Starscream first.  It was something he needed to fix.  Perhaps this could be used for that purpose? 

“I will take your offer into consideration…?” Megatron stated, his tone questioning at the end. 

//Call me ‘Flash’,\\\  came the response, that purr back in his tone.  //I’ll leave Soundwave my contact information.  Please don’t take too long to think about it, as I know my conditions are more than reasonable.  And it’s been so long since I’ve had my hands on my dear, sweet Skywarp….\\\ 

The call ended.  Megatron felt that _crawling_ feeling again.  “Soundwave, I want you find out who this ‘Flash’ is…and dig up everything you can on his history.” 

Soundwave’s nod of acknowledgement seemed a bit more eager than usual. 

\-- 

 _Couple of cycles later…_  

This bot, this ‘Flashwing’, was sick.  That was Soundwave’s immediate feeling after doing his research. 

He was implicated in the death of an Spec Ops agent and then used the equipment he stole just so he could stalk Skywarp and eventually botnap him.  According to the report, Skywarp was able to escape on his own and Flashwing apprehended by Winglord Zephyr and Special Operation’s agent Jazz shortly after.  For his crimes, Flashwing was imprisoned for a time, but then when the war started, the Spec Ops leadership gave him an offer.  Use his skills for them, or continue to rot in prison.  

There were other conditions as well, such as going through therapy for his ‘obsession’.  It was obvious the therapy had no effect:  it was likely Flashwing ‘pretended’ that it did so he would get increased freedom and ‘legit’ access to their equipment.  There were also notes that Flashwing was often used as an interrogator…and used both pain and pleasure to get information out of prisoners.  There were a couple of notes of other officers voiding their tank contents after seeing some of the more ‘brutal’ sessions. 

The bot was a sadist!  And he wanted Skywarp.  Soundwave felt his tank churn at what Flashwing may do to him. 

The Communications Officer couldn’t quite pin it down, but there was something about Skywarp that made him fond of him.  His symbionts had picked up on it due to their telepathic link and they didn’t care.  Save for Ravage.  For some reason the feliniod hated the mere _thought_ of Soundwave being fond of Skywarp and kept growling and hissing at him whenever Skywarp was simply passing by.  Soundwave has been needing to scold him more and more for it. 

But that was a problem to resolve another cycle.  Flashwing was a bigger problem.  Soundwave had given Megatron all the information he had gathered as commanded.  He hoped his Lord felt the same way he did about this. 

If Megatron went through with this deal, Soundwave wasn’t sure he’d ever forgive himself. 

\-- 

 _Several breems later…_  

Skywarp was confused.  Why does Megatron want to see him?  The Warlord knows he only takes orders from Starscream.  Granted, his Commander was currently stuck in medbay due to a suicide attempt, so wasn’t able do any ‘commanding’. 

That Starscream tried to kill himself still bothered him though. He was certain it had to do with the tension between him and Jetfire…and Jetfire abandoning them when Megatron forced Starscream to hand over the station.  That bothered him as well:  what was going on between those two?  Why didn’t they want to tell him and his brother?  He and Thundercracker knew things about Starscream he doubted anyone else alive did.  Big things.  Why weren’t they trusted on this? 

The door to the Command center was right in front of him now, so Skywarp forced himself to focus on the present.  As he stepped through the door, he announced himself.  “I’m here, Lord Megatron.”  He was so tempted to call him something else, like ‘Megadolt’, ‘Megs’ and so many other less ‘respectful’ names, but he knew he wouldn’t get away with it with this life.  “What do you require of-“ 

Skywarp stopped short, his spark stilling, when he saw who else was in the room. 

Flashwing. 

Memories started to flood his processor.  Ones of being stalked.  Being captured…molested.  “What is he doing here!?” he cried, his wings fully down, backing away.  His path was blocked by Soundwave, whom gripped him by his shoulders. 

Megatron was ignoring his question.  “As you can see, Skywarp is whole and undamaged,” the Warlord commented, gesturing toward him. 

Flashwing approached him, no doubt to inspect him for himself.  “Looking gorgeous as always, Sky,” he was purring, one slender finger reaching out to stroke his face. 

“Don’t touch me!”  Skywarp cried, pressing back against Soundwave. 

“Oh, but I want to touch,” Flashwing churred, that finger traveling down to his neck.  “I’ve been practicing, my dear Sky…and I can’t wait to show you my new techniques.” 

Skywarp’s body trembled in revulsion.  He wanted to escape, but Soundwave held him firm and his processor was too scattered to focus on teleporting.  He could have sworn though he felt Soundwave tense and shudder along with him.  Did the Communication Officer sympathize with him? 

A loud clearing of a vocalizer brought all their attention back to Megatron.  “Is my part of the deal satisfactory?” the Warlord asked. 

“Oh, very much so,” Flashwing agreed, finally stepping away from him and approaching Megatron. 

“Your part then.”  Megatron held out a hand. 

Flashwing took something out of his subspace and placed it in the warlord’s waiting hand: a datadisk.  “The Autobot decryption software, as promised.  I assure you there is no virus or other ‘surprises’ along with it.” 

Skywarp was in shock.  He was being traded for something that would hand the war to Megatron on a silver platter!  Traded to _him_.  Did Megatron know what Flashwing had done?  Did he have any spark at all in that chassis of his!? 

“Excellent.”  Then, to the surprise of everyone, he crushed the datadisk in his hand.  Before Flashwing could fully process what he did, he extended his sword and impaled him through the spark. 

“Wh-why….,” Flashwing gasped as his spark flickered and started to die. 

“Because such a thing would have made winning this war too easy:  I want the Autobots to _suffer_ ,” Megatron stated simply.  Then he leaned in close to the dying bot’s face. “Plus…bots like you _sicken_ me….”  With that, he kicked him off his sword. 

Flashwing landed on his back right in front of him and Soundwave.  The dying seeker was looking at him, those yellow optics rapidly turning dark.  “Skyyyy….” His voice had lost its oiliness, sounding more like a long barely comprehensible hiss.  He was reaching for him, weakling, before his spark finally died and the body went limp.  The outstretched hand landing on the floor with a heavy thud. 

Skywarp stared at Flashwing’s body, vaguely aware that he was now clinging to Soundwave.  He was barely aware that Soundwave now had him in a full, comforting embrace.  For that moment, he welcomed it, as right now he didn’t think he’d able to stand on his own. 

Flashwing was dead.  His processor was having trouble accepting that, despite the evidence right in front of him.  At long last, his biggest tormentor was no more.  Finally gone for good. 

And it was Megatron, of all bots, that ended it. 

Finally, he looked at the Warlord, his optics asking the question his vocalizer was unable to voice. 

“Even I have my standards,” Megatron explained, those blazing red optics softening a bit.  “Consider this a lesson, Skywarp:  there are layers to every bot, no one is purely black or white.  We all have our dark…or light…aspects.”  With that, Megatron turned and walked out of the room. Leaving him and Soundwave alone with Flashwing’s cooling corpse. 

Skywarp, however, already knew what Megatron had just said to be true.  Every bot had their secrets, their bad and good sides.  He was not exempt from that himself.  

However, he recognized a power play when he saw it: Skywarp may be an idiot, but he wasn’t _stupid._ Megatron only did this to secure his loyalty to him.  The Warlord earned some points of _respect_ for this, but he’ll never have his _loyalty_. 

His loyalty was to Starscream and Starscream alone.  As their relationship goes back further, and deeper, than anyone knew….


End file.
